


He was there.

by adiksiabs



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: ChanSoo - Freeform, Fluff, I really don't know, M/M, One Shot, Wait for it, chansoo trash, haaaaaalp, how to tag, i guess?, raise your hands, side!pairings, spare me, you'll know when you read it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-23
Updated: 2017-05-23
Packaged: 2018-11-03 23:56:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,321
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10978065
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/adiksiabs/pseuds/adiksiabs
Summary: His life is a repetitive routine. Work, kill time, work no.2, home, repeat.His life is a repetitive routine, it's boring. He's boring, he knows it too well.Until someone said otherwise.





	He was there.

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first fic ever, spare me huhuhu  
> Out of all the prompts that I have, I've written something that wasn't technically mine. 
> 
> Beta-ed by a friend /whispers/ the same friend at the tweet below.
> 
> Inspired by this tweet: [ here ](https://twitter.com/cheonsassime/status/866496014001229825)  
> Yep, I am that friend and I'm sorry (not really).

"That guy is here again." Kyungsoo sighed as he saw the man in all suit and tie, eating a cup of ramen at the corner of the convenience store he's working at.

"Today's not good also?" He asked, the guy stopped, holding the chopsticks with noodles halfway to his mouth. "Yeah,” he answered tiredly, "Boss' such a perfectionist. Should I just quit this job, Soo?"

"Yeah, sure, ask a question like that to a part timer, Jun." he said, turning his attention to the unsorted pack of cigarettes in the counter.

For almost two weeks, Junmyeon has been coming over to this store at around 10 in the evening, just before Kyungsoo ends his shift. He rants about how his boss abuses his authority to pick on him, ordering him around. "I'm not even his secretary," Junmyeon said one time.

"Sorry." Junmyeon is a childhood friend. They lived in the same neighborhood before Kyungsoo decided to live on his own after he graduated HS. "Anyway, did you send the file already? How was it? Did they respond yet?"

"Uh, about that...I haven’t" he whispered, Junmyeon almost didn't catch what he said, but good thing is that he mastered the observation skills because of his boss.

"You haven't!? Ugh, Soo, how many times do I need to tell you that it's okay, no, it's great. Don't doubt your skills," said Junmyeon, as he threw the empty cup and chopsticks in the trashbin.

Kyungsoo remained silent as he arranged the now-sorted packs of cigarettes.

"Give it to me, I'll send it by myself." Junmyeon insisted, as he put 2 chips and a bottle of iced tea on the counter.

"I can do it myself. Why are you here anyway? You don't even live in this neighborhood." he put the chips and bottled drink in a plastic.

"I- uhh, uhm," Junmyeon stuttered.

 _He's caught_. Kyungsoo thought. He knows that Junmyeon has been eyeing the part timer who's on graveyard shift. He smiled a little, but Junmyeon didn't see because he was flustered.

"I'll eat it here," Junmyeon said as he removed the items from the plastic. "You should've said so earlier, psh"

 

He's late. He looked at the digital clock that showed 11:10. Junmyeon was still at the corner, eating his chips while typing something on his notebook. _Must be his report_. He thought.

Two customers came who bought cans of beer and assorted chips before he started to prepare his things.

He was recounting the drinks inside the chiller when he heard the bell, notifying that someone came.

"Wel--"

"Hyung! I'm sorry!" said by the man who just came, panting. "Something happened. I was late, I'm really sorry." he said in between his breathing.

"It's okay, go at the back and change your clothes, I'll finish this one." he said.

"Okay hyung, thanks!"

 

"I'll be going then," he said as he went out of the store. He zipped up his jacket as he felt the cold breeze of the night. It was already quarter to twelve, plus the 15-minute walk to his apartment, he still have 6 hours before his morning part time job starts.

"Still have two more days before my off," he sighed to himself.

 

\---

 

In the morning he works as a barista in a small cafe at the busiest district of the town, where buildings, offices, and other establishments are located.

The cafe opens at 6 in the morning, so he needed to be there by 5:30 to prepare. The aroma of the coffee he made is what keeping him alive. It's also a good thing that Sehun came early last night. He was able to end his shift earlier than usual.

 

"Soo-yaaaah! Good Morning!" he was greeted by the cat like smile of the man from the bakeshop across the street. "Here are your baked goods for the day!"

"Oh, thanks Dae. You can just put it there," he point at the left side of the counter. "I'll just bring these trays to the kitchen. Help yourself for some coffee."

When he returned, the pastries were already on display. He noticed the note at the side: I'll be back for my free coffee later! :3

The door's bell rang. "We're not yet--", he saw a familiar face.

"--open." the man smiled, showing his dimples. "Morning, Soo. I saw Dae on the way here, said he forgot to tell you that he's craving for Caramel Macchiato instead of the usual Americano. Also, mine's the usual."

"Oh, okay. Noted, Xing." Yixing, the owner of the cafe he's working at. He's an acquaintance of Junmyeon from some group where you share the same hobbies. Hobbies like talking to rabbits? He still cannot believe that a group like that exists.

"Are we ready to start the day?" Yixing asked. "Always." he returned his smile. "Good."

 

Early morning rush was always the crucial part for the café--people rushing to go to their respective works, some just came from an all-night party, trying to ease their hangovers with a cup of coffee.

Jongin came in just in time for opening, that’s a first. He’s always been late because of some matters, Yixing doesn’t really mind but Jongin insisted to work overtime. He's a university student, who works at the cafe to pay for his student loans **.**

The morning went by as always. Most of their customers were already a regular so they don't have any struggles serving them.

Baekhyun, from the office a few blocks away from the café, did his morning routine, ordering breakfast for their office while low-key flirting with his boss, he's not sure if this two are together already, he doesn't ask Yixing but it looked like they are.

Jongdae also came to get his freebie and ordered another two for his co-workers.

Junmyeon, who ordered coffee for his boss. _Poor guy,_ he thought. _Still better than me though._

And by the time he noticed it, he only have half an hour before his shift ends.

 

\--

 

He's at a nearby park, with his book and his pad, earphones on, observing everything. His shift at the convenience store won't start until 6pm so he still has 5 hrs. of free time. And he spends it like this: Observing his surroundings, watching the old man walked his two dogs in one hand. _One of these dogs will trip_. He thought. And he thought right, the white poodle tripped over the leash of the other. The kids that play in the public playground after their classes, they created a snowman look-alike that is made of sand, fighting over calling it a snowman look-alike or just call it a sandman. He chose the latter.

 

"Hey Soo! ’Ssup?" there was a tap on his shoulder. It's Minseok.

"Hey, just killing time, classes over?" he asked. "Yeah, the kids were really excited to go here, so I hurried to get at the prep school.'' he pointed at the kids he's babysitting playing at the seesaw. Kyungsoo just nods.

Minseok was his classmate in highschool, like him, he didn't go to college but he's currently enrolled in pot making class.

"Anyway, I heard you haven't sent the portfolio yet? When will you?" he said then picked the pad on Kyungsoo's hand.

"I don't know, I'm not even sure if it's worth it." he looked at his sketch pad that was now in Minseok's hand.

"Dude, remember that time when I asked you to draw those kids I babysit before? Their parents framed it and displayed it on their wall, you can literally see it the moment you enter the house. It was beautiful." he said, he was flipping through the pages of the pad.

"I don't know, this is just a hobby, so I'm not sure."

"Just try to submit it, at least you tried, right? I'll go now, before those kiddos can get any messier." Minseok waved at him as he left to get the kids.

He got his pad back and he's now looking at the current portrait he's drawing. It was a portrait of a kid, a little boy who happily plays with the other kids in the sand.

He kills time like this, going at the park, or some place where people come and go. He observes then if it caught his attention, he'll draw.

 

\--

 

His life is a repetitive routine. Work, kill time, work no.2, home, repeat. He doesn't have a regular job. He has been to different part time jobs since high school. He was an honor student, that's why his parents were very disappointed when he said that he won't go to college and he wanted to be independent. They were disappointed, yes, but they weren't angry. They understood him without asking him why, they believed that he has a valid reason.

Well, he doesn’t. His life is a repetitive routine because he doesn't know what he would like to do. What he wants to pursue. He thought that being independent would help him know, that it would give him at least a hint or anything. But after years of looking, still, he doesn't have an idea.

His life is a repetitive routine, it's boring. He's boring, he knows it too well.

Until someone said otherwise.

It was almost 2 years ago, when he just got fired from his part time job in a factory somewhere downtown. It wasn't his fault that he got fired, it was just the company was cost-cutting, and one of the solutions is to remove some of their workers. As the part timer that he is, he knew it then.

He was deep in thought of what he'll do that time, he needs to find another job. His current savings won't really be any useful.

He sat at the park bench, and the sun was setting.

He brought out his sketch pad, doodled anything that came in mind. It helps him to think clearly.

"That's so cool. Hey, can you draw me too?" he heard a deep voice coming from his right side. "What the?!" When he turned and looked, he met a pair of eyes that he isn't familiar with, but it gave him a feeling that he's being pulled in by those eyes. The face who owns those eyes was so beautiful, he had this blinding smile, and he almost felt like it was a dream.

"Oh, sorry, was I too loud?" the voice of the man brought him back to reality.

"Well, you literally shouted at my ear?" he said sarcastically.

"Oh, uhm, sorry." the man apologized as he was scratching his nape.

He ignored him and went back to what he's drawing, finishing it.

Just as he was done, the man said, "Your drawing's so cool, pretty interesting how you made it look like a picture sunset, just without colors in that matter, do you draw people too? Can you draw me too? " _He doesn't know how to pause, does he?_ Kyungsoo thought.

"Why would I? I don't even know you." he was putting his things in his bag. "And I don't draw people." he said without looking. He doesn't really draw people, it doesn't interest him, he didn't even tried it before, he was just doodling something that comes to his mind, like some fictional landscapes, or sometimes he goes some place where he can see a real landscape and is quiet enough for him to draw.

"Oh, okay. But people are interesting you know. Try observing them next time." he heard the man say, he didn't bother to look he just left.

 

The next day, he was at the park again, he just got back from applying to various part time jobs. The sun was setting again, he sighed. He brought out his pad, earphones on, he thought of something that he wants to draw. He can't think of anything, he remembered the man from yesterday. He remembered what he said.

_But people are interesting you know. Try observing them next time._

The next days, before he went to his new job at the convenience store, he stopped by the park and observed the people instead of just the landscapes, he saw different kinds of people, he studied their expressions. And then the next thing he knew, he was drawing portraits of an elderly couple who always sit at the bench across him and talks about things, as if they had just met that day and was getting to know each other.

True to what that man said, people are interesting. He doesn't know why but he's amazed at how people express what they feel and is very visible through their eyes.

 

\--

 

It was 9pm, 2 more hours before his shift ends. There aren't any customers, nothing to arrange, the supplies had been refilled a while ago so he sat at the chair in the counter, brought out his pad. He was drawing a kid's face he saw at the park that afternoon when the bell rang, notifying someone came. They were a group of teenagers and was very loud for his liking. He followed him with his eyes, they went to the beverage section. He doesn't notice that someone came in just after those loud guys.

 

"You lied." he heard someone said and when he turned it was the man from the other day at the park. The man with a blinding smiling. "You said, you don't draw people." He just knew it then that the man was a giant, not literally but he's very tall than Kyungsoo is. He was wearing ripped jeans that looked very good at his long legs, leather jacket but the white shirt inside was visible, his hair was black bordering to brown, and he’s wearing round glasses that looked too cute on him.

"I didn't lie." he argued.

"But you're drawing a kid's portrait right now?" he pointed at his sketch pad. He was flustered. He doesn’t want to say that he started doing portraits because of what this man said.

"Are you here to buy something?" he changed the topic.

 

Almost every night at the convenience store, the man who introduced himself as Chanyeol came, he bought different things every time, drinks, chips, biscuits, toilet papers, candies etc. He chatted with him, asking him various things from a simple "Aren't you bored being alone here, Soo?" to "Do I look like a giraffe? If I disguise myself as one, would the giraffes notice?" Sometimes, he's not even sure if Chanyeol was joking but he looked very serious with his question. He also asked him when he will draw him from time to time. He learned that Chanyeol's the same age as him, and he works at the office near the park, so whenever he went home, he said he would see Kyungsoo, and every time he tried to talk to him and ask him what he's doodling in his pad. Kyungsoo said he was kind of a creep doing that but Chanyeol just laughed it off that made his eye twitch a little. And he would laugh at him every time because he looked cute but he will never tell him that.

 

He's not sure if it just coincidence or what but Chanyeol seemed to be always there wherever Kyungsoo will be. First at the park, which he already knew the reason why. Second is at the convenience store, he believed that Chanyeol lived near that neighborhood since he was there almost every night. And recently, at his newly acquired job at a cafe, Chanyeol was also there. He's together with Baekhyun, who always flirts with his boss. One time, when he was going home after his shift, he asked Chanyeol (they walked together sometimes, "This is also my way home." he said, but they always reached Kyungsoo's apartment first so he never knew where Chanyeol lived), "Are you following me, you're not stalking me or something like that, right?" he looked at Chanyeol, but the latter just laughed and said, "I wonder, hmm, why would I "stalk" you, Soo?" mimicking the a quotation mark with his fingers. "I don't know, maybe you're actually a serial killer who wants to kill me or something." he meant it as a joke but Chanyeol looked very serious, he felt nervous for a moment. Then suddenly Chanyeol looked at him straight in the eyes, he smiled and said "Or maybe I just really like you, Kyungsoo."

 

\--

 

That person was there.

 

That morning when he's working early at the cafe.

That morning when Yixing met Jongdae on the way to work, and asked for a Caramel Macchiato instead of the usual Americano.

That morning when Jongin came in just in time

That morning when Baekhyun ordered 4 Iced Americanos for his teammates.

That morning, he was there, together with his teammate, Baekhyun.

 

That afternoon in the park, when was killing time.

That afternoon when a white poodle tripped at the leash of the other dog.

That afternoon when the kids in the playground created a sandman.

That afternoon when Minseok brought the kids he babysits in the park.

That afternoon, he was there, he was just done from work and met him before he went home.

 

That night when Junmyeon was ranting about his boss being a pain in the ass.

That night when he worked overtime because Sehun was late.

That night when two customers bought cans of beer and chips.

That night when his skin met the cold night breeze.

That night, he was there.

 

He was there, waiting just across the convenience store, looking very handsome in his white shirt with semi-formal grey overcoat, a hoodie jacket inside, paired with his favorite ripped jeans.

"Why are you here?" he said to him.

"I'm here to pick you up." he said as he breathed to his hands.

"I'm not a kid you know, I can go home by myself." he put his warm hands to cover Chanyeol's cold ones. He noticed that the tip of his nose was already reddened by the cold.

"I wanted to surprise you." He smiled a sheepish smile.

"You should have come inside the store, look at you, it was even announced in the news this morning tha--" he was stopped by a kiss on the lips.

"I like it when you nag me, I have a reason to kiss you, to stop your nagging." He smiled, the smile he showed him the first time they met.

"Psh, you don't need a reason to kiss me you know." he smiled a little. "So why are you really here other than picking me up?

"Date." he winked at him.

"A date? At this time of the night? It's almost midnight." he said as he blew warm breath to their hands.

"What's so wrong in taking my boyfriend out for a late dinner date?" Chanyeol already took his hands and led him to where they were going.

 

As they were walking, Chanyeol reminded him, "We're going to submit your portfolio on your off, right? No backing out."

"Yeah, I didn't forget, no need to remind me." He squeezed Chanyeol's hand that were inside the other's coat.

"Just making sure of things." he giggled. "Soo, I just realized, you haven't drawn a portrait of me, when will it happen?" he pouted.

"Stop pouting, you man-child." he said but Chanyeol just pouted more, making him looked like a puppy that wasn't given a treat. Then he laughed, "You're not cute." he knew Chanyeol knows that he meant the opposite so the latter smiled.

"Hmm, what face will I make when that time comes?" Chanyeol wondered.

"Just do whatever you want." he smiled at him.

                                                                                                                               

 _You looked really happy that time, wearing that blinding smile, and with eyes that pulled me in every time._ He thought.

 

_Chanyeol didn't know that on the last page of Kyungsoo's old sketch pad, he was there. The very first portrait he had drawn._

**Author's Note:**

> We're thinking of having some spin offs from this fic, and I'm planning to write an additional fic for chansoo coz I know that it was lacking. FORGIVE MEEEEEE. Щ(º̩̩́Дº̩̩̀щ)  
> Thanks. (๑♡3♡๑)


End file.
